A collection of interesting, useful little things

Bloom Baubles

Please enjoy this free tutorial for Bloom Baubles from SAKYNA MagazineInspired by Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka’s revival of the ancient Japanese cultivation use of nendo dango or earth balls, Bloom Baubles provide a nurturing and protective environment for seedlings. Instead of a traditional mixture of compost and red clay, Bloom Baubles only require recycled paper and fibers. I found that the use of paper versus red clay to be superior because paper retains water while still remaining intact, all the better for weathering out any anticipated and varying conditions.I advise against using colored paper especially for herbal Bloom Baubles as seedling grow and take in water and nutrients they may also draw up unwanted additives from the processed paper.

You will need

1-2 handfuls cotton fibers (an easy source for this is dryer lint from a load done without a dryer sheet)

4-6 handfuls of torn up or shredded unbleached paper

1 handful of seeds, wildflowers or herbs

Water

Blender

Strainer

To make

Toss the paper into the blender with water to soak and soften them first so you won’t wear out the blender motor.

Blitz/Pulse a few times to pulverize paper to a pulp.

Add the cotton fibers a little at a time and pulse for a moment.
You don’t want want to add too much cotton fiber all at once, or pulse for too long as too many fibers too fast may tangle up and wear out the motor!

Stir in your selected seeds, and pour you pulp into a strainer over a bowl to drain
(You do not want to let this paper juice go down your drain.)

After the pulp has drained, grab about a heaping tablespoon of the pulp at a time and gently squeeze out the excess water and shape into your bauble by carefully rolling it between your hands.

Now its time to dry out your Bloom Baubles. You can dry them over a heating vent or aim a fan at them to shorten the drying time. The quicker your Bloom Baubles dry out the better; or else they may begin to sprout! It should take just one day to completely dry out.

Keep your baubles dry until ready for use, and store them where they wont’ be exposed to varying temperatures.

The marvelous thing about these Bloom Baubles is that they will indeed bloom under almost every circumstance! The key it to keep the bauble moist, and the paper and cotton fibers possess the perfect water retaining qualities for this.

To plant a Bloom Bauble more precisely, place it into raked soil and cover with 1/4th inch of soil during the appropriate season for your seeds and keep moist.
Germination depends on the seed/plant type.